


Don't Go

by cruisingforcruiserweights



Series: The Trouble with A-Double [5]
Category: Professional Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, FaceAustin, HeelNeville, Implied Relationships, Kayfabe Compliant, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-08
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-11-29 13:09:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11441556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cruisingforcruiserweights/pseuds/cruisingforcruiserweights
Summary: Neville reacts to the news of Austin's contract release.





	Don't Go

**Author's Note:**

> So. It's fair to say that I'm Not Okay with the very recent news of Austin leaving WWE, and I am dealing with this in the only way that I, The Greatest Writer Who Ever Lived, possibly can. 
> 
> Set just after the WWE show in Tokyo, 01/07/17, some liberties were taken with the match finish.
> 
> This may be the last work in this series (aside from the sequel to "The Mad King, Conquered", which I haven't finished yet), but who knows?

Neville threw the last of his ring attire into the gym bag resting on the bench beside him and closed it, before picking up his championship belt once more and casting a glance around the locker room.

It was just him, Aries and Tozawa for the moment, although it would probably only be a matter of time before the rest of the roster made their way back from their matches that night in Tokyo, stepping on each other's toes yet again, something that he would prefer to avoid if at all possible.

However, something seemed... _off_. The room was oddly tense, something that was unusual considering Aries and Tozawa were some of the rowdiest of the cruiserweight roster, and Neville had expected them to be chatting away like hyperactive children, a common occurrence both before and after their matches back in the US. 

Despite his desire to avoid the stampede that threatened to overcome them at any moment, he couldn't help but take the opportunity to needle his companions a little before they headed back to their hotel.

"You're awfully quiet, for once." He remarked, sidling up behind Aries and tapping his foot impatiently. "You're not still bitter about that stiff right hand, are you?" He smirked a little, their exchanging of barbs was something of a pastime between the two of them, and it served them both as a way to hype themselves up before-as well as blow off steam following-a match. Austin did not react to this, surprisingly, giving the champion only a quick glance and an irritated sigh as he continued to pack up his gear.

"Or are your knees giving you trouble again, old man?" He pressed, finally getting a rise out of the other as he threw his boots into his gym bag and turned to face Neville at last. 

"I don't know, Neville, how's your twisted spine after you almost botched that final landing?" He hissed, earning himself a glare from Neville and causing Tozawa to raise his eyebrows and avert his gaze as he continued to remove his wrist tape.

"I didn't _botch_ , Aries. _You_ missed your mark and _I_ compensated."

Austin rolled his eyes and nodded his head mockingly, "Of course, I forgot, you're the _King_. It must have been my fault."

This was not the Aries he was used to. He could be irritating and passive aggressive to the point of making Neville want to tear his hair out from frustration, but there was always an underlying note of humour to his words. Here, there was only bitterness.

Disguising his concern with his usual sharp tongue and dismissive demeanour, Neville tilted his head to the side and sneered. "What the hell is wrong with you today, Aries? Sometimes I swear you were put on this earth solely to infuriate me-" 

"Well it's lucky that you won't have to put up with me anymore, isn't it?" Austin snapped back, turning his attention back to his bag as he zipped it up, clearly intending to leave without further elaboration.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Neville spat, disbelief permeating his voice as his stomach sank and his heart began to beat faster at the implications of what Aries had just let slip.

Austin lowered his head and sighed, standing there with his hands clutching the straps of his bag for what felt like an eternity as all three of them stood there in complete silence, as if waiting for someone, anyone, else to make the first move to break it.

"It means..." Austin said, his voice calm and measured, but with more than a hint of what Neville could only describe as... heartbreak. "It means that I asked for my release. And they accepted it."

A loud thud rang out through the semi-deserted locker room as Neville's bag hit the floor. He stood there in stunned silence for a moment, his brows furrowed and his mouth hanging open slightly in shock.

"Y-you're fucking with me, right Aries?" He asked, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, almost pleading for the other to be kidding, to be making yet another one of his awful jokes at Neville's expense, because at least that was tolerable in comparison to the grim vision that the other's words were currently conjuring in his mind.

"No, Neville." Austin turned to look at him at last, with an almost apologetic expression. "This is the last show I'll be performing at."

Akira cleared his throat as he slung his bag over his shoulder, moving over to Aries and clapping him firmly on the shoulder. "Good luck." He said with a bow of his head, which Aries returned instinctively, clearly a holdover from his time working in Japan a few years ago.

"Thanks man, you too." Austin replied, giving him a small wave as Tozawa turned to leave, Akira offering Neville a sympathetic smile as he passed him on his way out.

Once the door closed, and they were finally alone, Neville was forced to come to terms with the reality that presented itself before them. No more sarcastic comments as they passed in the corridor. No more constant challenges to his reign as King. No more stolen moments of ecstasy in between matches in hotel rooms and abandoned corners of venues... No more Austin.

"What about..." _Us_. Neville wanted to say. Was desperate to say. But even now, just couldn't bring himself to. "...the championship?" He settled on.

Austin let out a derisive laugh, shaking his head and looking away. "What about it?"

Neville swallowed, taking a tentative step towards the other, then another, until he was standing behind him, inches apart, to the point where Austin could feel Neville's breath on the back of his neck, making him shiver a little as he did his best to ignore the other's presence. 

Neville leaned in, resting his forehead against the others shoulder and placing his hands against Austin's sides, the closest he could bring himself to hugging the other of his own accord.

"You should have been the one to take it from me." Neville said quietly, but firmly, his voice wavering only a little. On any other day, to say or even consider such a thing would be considered blasphemy, especially coming from the King's own mouth, and with such uncharacteristic conviction and sincerity.

This elicited a chuckle from Austin, as he placed a hand over Neville's, appreciating the difficulty with which he offered such a rare display of affection. 

"Maybe." He said softly. 

"Don't go." Neville blurted out suddenly. "Don't-" _Don't leave me_. His whole body screamed it, the words rattling around inside of his head, but unable to escape his lips as Austin suddenly whirled around and grasped Neville's face with both hands and kissed him almost as forcefully as he had the very first time. The only difference now being the suppressed sobs that welled in his chest and the sting of tears that threatened to roll down his cheeks at any moment.

"I'm not leaving you." Austin said as he broke away for air, keeping his hands pressed where they were, forcing Neville to look at him as he spoke, refusing to let him withdraw back into himself. "You belong here. I don't. That's just the way it is." 

There was so much Neville wanted to say. It couldn't be that simple. There must be something that could still be done. If only Austin had come to him first, so he could have fought for him, demand that he be given the respect that he deserved... that Neville had for him. 

"I'll be fine, and so will you." Austin said, in an attempt to reassure him, but even he wasn't able to fully commit to his words, his voice cracking near the end.

"It's not right." _It's not fair_. Was what he wanted to say, to scream until he was hoarse, and the powers that be were forced to give in to his demands. But even then, Austin had never obeyed his orders before, and why would he now?

"Maybe not, but it's done now." Austin pressed his lips against Neville's forehead.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Neville hissed, his shock and sadness giving way to anger as he grasped the others wrists and squeezed them tightly.

Austin looked down as he leant his forehead against Neville's, his hands falling to rest on the others shoulders.

"I was hoping not to let it slip before..." he snorted and shook his head a little, "...before your match at that stupid fucking pay-per-view."

Neville laughed in spite of himself, mumbling "Great Balls of _Fiyaaa_..." lowly as he placed a kiss in the corner of Austin's mouth. 

They stood there for another few minutes, doing their best not to dwell on what might be to come, and just enjoy each other's presence. Neville eventually gave in and allowed Austin to pull him into an embrace, burying his face in the crook of the others neck and clawing at the back of his shirt, digging in his fingers as if he could convince the other to stay simply by refusing to let him go.

The roar of the crowd, signalling the end of the match that had followed theirs, rang out through the venue, forcing them apart for fear of unwanted interruptions.

"It's nice to know you'll miss me, at least." Austin remarked, a little of his usual self creeping back in.

"Just a little, Aries." Neville replied with a smirk, seizing Austin's hand tightly and dragging him in the direction of the door, for once hearing not a peep of objection out of him.

He snatched up his gym bag as they left, intent on heading straight back to their hotel to make the most of what little time they had left together, before their relationship became even more complicated than it already was.


End file.
